Light clouds lingered in the mountainous islands surrounding our anchorage when Mother Goose awoke Friday morning. We untied our stern ties and got under way to cover the 43 miles to Hot Springs Cove.  Along the way, the crew was very excited to spot several individual sea otters. Sea otter populations along Vancouver Island’s coast line were hunted to extinction by 1929. Almost 50 years ago a recovery program attempted to reestablish the Canadian Sea Otter population. Researchers released 89 sea otters from Alaska into Kyuquot Sound to great effect. Mother Goose flotilla members were able to witness the success of that program today in viewing a few of the over 4,000 sea otters currently living on the outside of Vancouver Island.

Crews dropped their anchors by midafternoon with plenty of sunshine left to enjoy Hot Spring Cove. Grand Adventure’s crew visited the natural hot springs that gives Hot Springs Cove its name. Several other crews enjoyed a slow dingy ride or kayak along the rocky shore line examining sea stars, anemones and chitons left exposed by the ebbing tide. Todd, of Inception, took the time to capture some spectacular time laps footage of the cove. That evening Deception’s crew had the pleasure of hosting the Meyer’s family for dinner. A second trip to the natural hot spring under a partial moon finished off a wonderful day.